Landslide instils fear in Mendi village, locals await Covec, Works visit

LAST month’s second landslide has instilled fear into the Tubiri community living on the outskirts of Mendi town in the Southern Highlands.
Three months earlier a huge landslide occurred, burying a feeder road and food gardens. No lives or properties were lost.
Former Sunda councillor Paki Andaso told The National that the second landslide was not big but instilled fear among the people.
He said they were still waiting for the Department of Works and the Chinese Overseas Engineering and Construction company (Covec) to visit the area.
Andaso said they had already notified the company of the danger if there was continuous rainfall in the area.
He said at least four villages at the foot of the Tubiri Mountain were in danger of being submerged.
He said the Department of Works and Covec should understand that the landslide occurred where a quarry was developed for the Mendi-Kandep Road construction in 2012.
“When there is continuous rainfall, the mountain would slide, taking people and properties all the way to the Mendi River,” he said.
“An early evacuation exercise is needed and the Department of Works and Covec should come and visit the site and talk with the community. We are waiting for them to come.”
Former acting provincial disaster coordinator Martin Pat in his report to the National Disaster Centre requested for the relocation of the people.
He said the quarry was a “time-bomb” ready to go off at any time should a seismic activity occur or during persistent rainfall.
Andaso said the Department of Works had previously mined the quarry to construct most of the roads for Mendi town and on the outskirts.
He said, Covec used the quarry to build the Mendi-Kandep Road.
Andaso said their carelessness had put the lives of the people at risk.